The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-12-10
THE C0L0pEL'S TALE.

It was latc-after midnight-and as we got up from the whist table and gathered around the fire Colonel Thornton said: of you men are not too tired, and don't mind sitting up for another half hour, think can tell you good story"
 We protested that we were never less tired, and could sit up till morn ing if necessary. So the colonel be- gan:
 "NIy father, as you know, was a parson, but he took orders late in life, after having been fifteen years at the bar, and the events of which am go- ing to tell you he, himself, told me as having come directly under his eye when he was barrister.
 "It was at the Monmouth AsSizes ill 19- that case was tried which be- came the talk of the neighborhood and country for years after. My father was sitting in the court of the assist ant judge, when note was brought him from friend in the adjoining court, asking him to come and hear q case of more than usual interest, the facts of which were these:
 "Some time beforc,a farmers house near Monmouth had been broken into and robbed by men disguised and masked, the farmer murdered and the servant shockingly ill-treated. Among other things which were stolen were two old fashioned silver brooches, cu- riously inlaid with malachite, heir looms of the family; and although unremitting search was made, and the description of the lost articles made widely known, no trace of the mur- derers could be found
 GA month or two after the murder, however, police officer going through a common lodging house ill Bristol, noticed dissipated looking sailor ly- ing on pallet and resting his head on small bundle. He asked him what it contained, and was told that it was 'only his kit The officer, not satis- fled, opened the bundle, and almost the first thing to fall out were two brooches made of silver and malachite. Struck by their curious beauty, and wondering how such wretched look ing fellow could have become pos sessed of them, he suddenly remem- bered the advertisement and descrip- tion of the stolen articles.
 "How did you come by these?" he inquired.
 "The sailor replied: By chance. When I cam ashore some time ago, with plenty of money in my pocket, met an old seaman who was down on his luck, and he had offered to sell me these things, which had belonged to his mother. 1 was pretty flush and gave him good price for them, al- though they were useless to me And that's all about it.
 "The police officer, still dissatisfied, took him into custody. He was sent to Monmouth jail, the brooches were identified, and he was committed for trial at the Assize on the charge oi theft and murder. And," continued the colonel impressively, Gas my father entered the court this man was being placed in the dock.
 "Tall beyond the then average height of men, and gaunt, with an un- kempt beard and evil, yellow eye, and though evidently suffering from his long Imprisonment, he yet presented a powerful and imposing front. The trial had begun and he had just been asked the usual question: "Are you guilty or not guilty?' and had an- swered in hollow voice: Not guilty my lord,' when the entrance of one oi the court officials with a gentleman stopped the proceedings for awhile And here must explain this inter- ruption.
 "A few days before a quiet, gentle. manly man, Captain Forsyth of his majesty's navy, had arrived at tht chief hotel of the town on a fishing excursion; but the weather had beer 30 adverse that he was obliged to lool elsewhere for amusement. Turning tt the landlord for information, he wa, told of this trial exciting considerable interest, and so it came to pass that, al the prisoner took his place at the bar Captain Forsyth sent his card to tn, judge, who gladly allowed him, as wal then the custom, 8 seat on the bench
 "The case proceeded; witnesses wer' called to identify the brooches, the ser. wants swore to the figure of the pris oner as resembling that of the mur derer; no witnesses were called for hi defense-no one defended him; every thing pointed to his guilt, and tn, jury retired to their room. Tn few minutes they returned, and amid tn